Dental story online

Finding good individual dental plans can be a very challenging task. There are several types of plans and they can be very affordable if you know where to look to find them. The two most popular plans are HMO (Prepaid) and PPO. The HMO plan requires you to choose one dentist or dental facility to coordinate all of your oral health needs and the PPO plan allow dentists to participate in a network and agree to accept contracted fees as payment in full rather than their usual fee for patients with the PPO.

If you don't have an individual dental plan with your current employer you may find that there are not many companies that offer this type of plan. Despite this, there are several alternative measures that you can take if you do not have individual coverage. Several ways to ensure that you get good dental care inexpensively is by shopping around and finding rates, creating a small dental savings account or visiting a dental college in your local area. Either way, you will be staying on top of your regular cleanings and checkups to prevent serious dental health problems.

On the contrary, there are several health insurance providers that offer individual dental plans; however they can be quite pricey. If you are searching for an individual plan, there are several industry leaders that provide this option. These companies include, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Aetna, Humana, Delta, Assurant and many others. There are also many online quote providers that offer to provide you with the best price by taking the information you provide to them and matching you with the best plan. These quote search engines provide you with a pros and cons comparison chart to help you make the best decision on your next health plan choice.

Having adequate dental insurance is essential because it can make it easier for you to maintain good oral hygiene and health. Oral health is important because it affects your physical appearance and self confidence. It can also impact your overall health and quality of life.

According to Health Canada, untreated cavities can be painful and lead to serious infections.

Cavities and gum disease may contribute to major conditions such as diabetes and respiratory diseases. Some studies link poor oral health with heart disease and even women having pre-term, low-birth-rate babies. Even missing and crooked teeth can hamper your ability to chew and digest food properly, leading to insufficient oral health.

To maintain good oral hygiene and health, Health Canada recommends that you brush and floss your teeth daily. You should also use an antimicrobial mouth rinse to minimize bacteria in your mouth. It's also important to eat a healthy diet based on Canada's Food Guide. In addition, visit your dentist regularly.

Insurance Helps with Routine and Major Care
Insurance can make it more feasible for you to receive dental care for routine and conditions. Statistics have shown that patients with dental coverage will seek out required care on a far more regular basis than those without coverage, according to the Canadian Dental Association. That's why it's important for you to maintain sufficient dental insurance coverage.

Dental insurance generally covers 100 percent of cleanings, exams and annual X-rays. Extractions, certain surgeries and emergency care are also fully covered under most insurance plans. If you don't have any major problems with your teeth, you'll need to visit the dentist approximately twice a year. During that time, the dentist will examine your teeth and gums for signs of tooth decay and gum disease. Each year, X-rays of your teeth will be taken to identify undetected problems. If you don't have any active tooth decay or gum disease, you probably will not need to change your brushing or flossing habits.

During regular checkups, a dental hygienist will clean your teeth. He or she will use a small metal tool to scrape hard mineral buildup known as tartar off your teeth, floss your teeth thoroughly and use a special compound to help clean and polish your teeth. The hygienist may also apply sealants to prevent cavities or fluoride treatments during routine office visits.

Dental Insurance and Serious Issues
If you have major problems with your teeth, dental insurance will generally cover a portion of the costs. For example, many insurance plans cover up to 80 percent for fillings and up to 50 percent for root canals, restorative crowns and implants. Corrective braces are often covered at more than half the cost, although most plans cover orthodontics only for children under the age of 18. Most insurance plans do not pay for cosmetic dentistry used to improve the appearance of a person's teeth, mouth and smile. Some of the most common cosmetic procedures include teeth whitening, veneers and inlays/onlays.

A good dental insurance plan can assist you and your family with paying for appropriate preventive dental care, as well as expenses relating to more comprehensive restorative and corrective procedures. For more information about oral health and dental insurance, visit the Canadian Dental Association's website.

Considering how expensive oral care can be, dental insurance coverage continues to be one of the most sought after employee benefits that people are hoping to find in the companies they are working for. Aside from the fact that dental health is important, it can also mean man hours lost whenever an employee suffers from toothaches or other dental issues.

For companies who would want to hire and retain the best of employees, offering a dental insurance makes sense. The common observation is that dental illnesses do not pose as high a risk as other medical conditions and may easily be prevented, if proper oral care is maintained. By providing a coverage that does not only handle teeth extractions, but also annual dental check ups, fillings and installing crowns or bridges, a company can help their employees have less sick leaves caused by dental conditions.

Choose the Best Dental Insurance Coverage

Company dental plans usually are limited to about fifty percent reimbursement of dental expenses. Some plans do not allow for extra dental augmentations like teeth whitening, expensive teeth implants or braces. One feature that most dental plans have is that it only provides access to its own group of dentists that they have on an "accredited list".

In some agreements, it becomes the liability of the employee to pay for the difference between what the insurance company is willing to cover and the actual cost of his dental treatments. There are some maximum amount limits that insurance companies are willing to cover and if your dentist charges way above what is set on your insurance coverage, then you would have to pay the difference. There are also employee dental insurance plans that will not pay for pre existing conditions.

Criteria For Choosing the Best Employee Dental Insurance Coverage

In choosing the right dental insurance coverage for your employees, consider the following:

1. Are the premiums being charged by the insurance company competitive in the market?
2. Will the employees be allowed to choose their own dentists?
3. Does the insurance plan allow for dental emergencies like oral surgery, root canals and serious periodontal infections?
4. Will the plan cover x rays, fluoride applications that may help the employee prevent tooth decay in the future?
5. Are the maximum caps for each treatment that the insurance company has prescribed reasonable and within the regular costs of dental care?

The health of your employees is important for them to conduct their jobs properly. Offering them a dental insurance coverage is one of the best things a company can do for its employees. Choose the right insurance company and make sure you read the fine print of the insurance plan before you sign up.

In the wake of a suffering economy, many people are looking for ways to cut down their dentist bills. As affordable dental care seems to become more and more difficult to find, people are seeking low cost alternatives to standard procedures. Here are two options patients consider as they try to cut down the cost of their dentistry work.

Just Pull It?

Without insurance or a discount plan, a root canal alone can cost over $1,000, and receiving a crown can cost just as much! Fillings and bondings are also quite expensive. However, an extraction is typically $1-200 out-of-pocket. For this reason, many people try to receive more affordable treatment by simply getting a tooth pulled whenever they are in pain. An extraction can save a patient money and some pain in the short run, but if the patient desires a tooth implant later to fill the hole, the implant will cost more than a root canal and crown combined!

The actual cost of a tooth extraction is truly just the beginning. Whenever one of your teeth is removed, your surrounding teeth will begin to shift overtime towards the empty gap. This shift will cause additional strain to rest of your mouth. In order to keep your surrounding teeth from shifting, your dentist will recommend that the missing gap should be filled with a replacement tooth. A removable partial denture, which can be quite inconvenient, can easily run $1,500-$2,000. A fixed bridge, permanently attached in your mouth, typically runs at least $2,500. Implants are also quite expensive, costing $1,500-$3,000.

When you add the "lower" cost of a tooth extraction to the cost of a replacement tooth, most people end up spending more money getting a tooth pulled and replaced than they would've paid to get a root canal and/or crown in the first place. Although a simple extraction may initially seem like a shortcut to affordable care, it often leads to more problems and higher costs long-term.

Using Generic Medications

In an effort to find more affordable care, many patients question if they can take generic prescription medications after receiving treatment, instead of the name-brand ones their dentists prescribe. Using generic medications is actually a great way to lower the cost of your treatment. Generic medications usually have the exact same active ingredients as name-brand prescriptions, but cost much less money.

Overview

Even in this bad economy, not everything that seems to reduce the price of dentistry is worth it. Though choosing generic medications can be a help, just pulling a tooth instead of fixing it should not be an option. In order to find affordable care in your area, talk to your local dental society, who may have a listing of cheap dentistry clinics and other low cost options. You may also want to investigate a discount plan to save even more on your dentistry.

For people who do not wish to pay a single cent for their dental treatments and procedures, obtaining a full coverage oral health plan is the best option. As all of us are aware, all types of dental works are costly. We can only get our "wallet" protected if we are covered by insurance. Let me show you 3 basic steps in choosing the right plan for yourself.

Step 1: Assess your needs

First thing first, you are required to determine your dental needs. If you know that you need to visit the dentist frequently for in-depth check ups, major treatments and complicated procedures, getting yourself a full coverage is a must. If you need to get protection for your family members, you are reminded to look for full coverage family plans.

Step 2: Find out the suitable plan

As a smart consumer, you need to bear in mind that although many providers offer full coverage plans, not everything is fully covered. Hence, it is indeed important for you to check each plan carefully to find out what services you are entitled for. Make sure you understand the content of each policy before you make your selection. In general, these comprehensive plans cover most of the expensive procedures. If you need some special treatments like cosmetic dental procedures and orthodontic, you must make sure that they are stated in the policy. If not, you need to pay from your own pocket.

Step 3: Work out your budget

Don't just aim for high cost policy without considering your financial capability. Besides, you also need to check the maximum annual limit of each plan. Majority of oral health plans in the market have limitations on the amount covered. Besides, some plans only allow a certain number of dental works per year.

To sum up, although full coverage dental insurance is expensive, it provides far more protection than low cost plan. As a policy holder, you will be receiving the benefits at optimum level if you choose the right plan.

Do you hide your smile because you have lost one or more of your teeth due to a periodontal disease or an injury? If yes, then you do feel less confident about yourself both at personal and professional level. With the all new advancement in dental technology, you are now able to get dental implants.

A dental implant is an artificial tooth root that a periodontist places into your jaw to hold a replacement tooth or bridge. Generally speaking, there are two classes of dental-implants namely standard and mini. To these "artificial roots" can be attached single teeth, several teeth, or an entire arch of teeth.They also work very well to help retain, anchor, or support loose dentures. Dental-implants can literally change a denture wearer's life.

Dental implants are an ideal option for people in good general oral health but who have lost a tooth or teeth due to one or the other reason. These dental-implants are very high-tech in nature but most doctors recommend them because unlike the traditional bridgework, dental-implants do not require neighboring teeth for support. They can stand and sustain on their own and that is what makes them so special.

Dental implants were first introduced by a doctor by the name of Dr.Pratt. He was in his senior year of dental school when he started working on the idea of DIs. At that time, this idea was considered impossibility. However, he strove and took all the relevant courses that he could. With the passage of time his idea became known and successful. Now periodontics is a well-recognized and highly prestigious field of dentistry.

Dental implants are no less than a miracle. They look and feel so natural that even you yourself won't believe that you lost your teeth. Many people use dentures but remain unsatisfied and uncomfortable. They even face difficulty while chewing. So, if you feel bad to smile, eat, speak and look good, dental-implants are just the right options for you.

Since they feel and look like your very own teeth, they will help you gain your comfort and confidence back. However, you have to be careful about certain things. Firstly, dental implantation requires a good environment. Thus, you have to get it done by a qualified and trained periodontist.

Similarly you would need a diligent patient maintenance if you want your dental implants to last a life time. Moreover, long-term studies continue to show improving success rates for dental-implants. So if you are a potential candidate for dental-implants, it is advisable that you study more about it; learn more about the types of dental-implants and their advantages over dentures or bridgework. When you are prepared to get your dental implants, then you should contact your local periodontist who is an expert in the placement of dental implants. It would also be advantageous for you if you learn about other procedures that periodontists use to keep your gums and teeth healthy.

The American Academy of Periodentology is dedicated to this cause. It is an 8000-member association of dental care specialists who work for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of dental problems. They also work for support and maintenance of dental implants.

Do you want your children to maintain those healthy gleaming pearly whites as they grow older? Well, who would not want that?

Well, are you ready to learn the ultimate secret in having a perfect set of teeth? Well, brace yourselves for this - it's plain good old dental hygiene!

Have you ever thought for a moment that there will be some rocket-science revelations in here? Sorry if this disappointed you, but the secret really lies in establishing a good dental routine at an early age (as soon as the first milk tooth appears!).

A baby with good dental hygiene may be able to avoid various dental problems such as tooth decay, gum disease and abscesses. Mind you, these dental problems are not only painful - they may even require a treatment or two, which can be quite costly as well! Plus, good dental hygiene may have a lasting effect on his or her facial appearance and speech development as well.

Encouraging the Development of Healthy Milk Teeth

Your baby's teeth start to develop even before he or she is born. When your baby is about 6 to 9 months old, the first tooth (also called milk tooth or deciduous tooth) will normally start to appear.

Take care of your baby's milk teeth as if they were gold. They will serve as the foundation of how the mature teeth will eventually form.

How Can You Prevent Dental Problems in Babies? Aside from proper brushing and regular dental visits, there are still several things that you can do to make sure that your baby's or any younger child's teeth remain healthy. Here are some suggestions that you may find useful:

o Load up on calcium. Make sure that your baby drinks enough milk and starts eating calcium-rich foods when he or she is old enough to do so. This will help ensure proper teeth development and may help maintain good dental health as well.

oSay no to sugar! Steer away from sugar-rich foods and drinks. You may also want to try sugar-free medications whenever possible.

o Minimize contact with sugar - Sugar is not in any way good for your baby's dental health. However, if it cannot be avoided, try to feed your baby with sugary foods only during mealtimes. It will minimize the amount of time that the sweet foods spend in your child's mouth and may help lessen the risk of developing dental problems later on.

o Do not add sugar in a baby's bottle. Sugary drinks in baby's bottle are an absolute no-no since it can play a significant part in promoting dental decay. When feeding your baby with juice, dilute it first and have him or her take it from a cup.

o Opt for healthy alternatives - Offer your baby some cheese or fruits as snacks between meals. These contain essential nutrients vital for good dental health.

o Children sucking their thumb or fingers should be discouraged from doing so. This is an unhealthy dental habit that can affect the development of your baby's teeth.

o Try to avoid using dummies (also known as pacifiers). These can also affect your baby's teeth. And please, if you are going to use them anyway, don't dip them in honey or fruit juices! That will do twice the damage!

A General Overview of Discount Dental Plans

Discount dental plans is one way you can avoid having to pay astronomical dental fees. Let's face it, we will all have to go to a dentist several times in our lifetime, at the very least, so instead of paying dental insurance, you can enjoy bigger savings in discount dental plans.

The advantages of discount dental plans is being able to pay lower prices of up to 60% of the standard price. This means if you call in for a cleaning and you are informed that the charge is $100, then with the discount dental plan, you will only pay less than half.

Other advantages of discount dental plans is the fact that you get a straight discount, unlike dental insurance wherein you have a ceiling price on dental services. In other words, with dental insurance, if the treatment is over what your insurance company is obliged to pay for in the policy, then you have to cover the balance. To get full insurance coverage, the premium will be very high, and might not be worth the cost. Why? You won't be always be needing expensive dental treatments, and yet you will be paying through the nose every month.

In addition, the coverage of the discount dental plans starts the minute you sign up. Unlike dental insurance, there is a waiting period of as long as 6 months before you can claim on the insurance policy. As most people know, the reason you are looking for dental plans is because you see the need for it today, not 6 months from now.

Similar to dental insurance though, you have a choice on how you want to pay for the discount dental plans. You can either pay annually or monthly. Naturally, the annual payment scheme will give you bigger savings on discount dental plans.

7 Tips On Finding Insurance

Before you start looking for insurance, you need to know what kind of insurance you want. There are quite a number of insurance plans in the market ranging from life to home, loans to general insurance, and disability to income protection. Of course, if you talk to an insurance agent, he will tell you right away that you will need all these different insurance plans. That's your personal decision to make.

If you have an idea of which insurance you want to start with, here are 7 tips on how to get the most affordable insurance possible.

Talk to an insurance agent

Since an insurance agent works on commission, you could ask him to put together several options for you. Make him work for his commission. Be sure to explain your budget and needs, and let him find a solution for you.

Know what you want

Unless you are specific about your needs and what you want to achieve with your insurance policy, then it is not possible to find cheap insurance.

Ask for choices

Keep in mind that if you can compare and contrast different options, then chances are you can customize a cheap insurance plan for yourself.

Surf the internet

The internet is a great source of ideas. Insurance coverage can be easily found with a few clicks of your mouse. Furthermore, insurance companies are actively seeking new accounts, and will provide you with easy access to quotations and terms.

Make sure you ask for a trial period

With a trial period, you can get a refund on the premium you paid for if you are unhappy with the terms of the insurance.

Check coverage

You must always check the coverage of the insurance plan. It is possible to adjust this so that you can afford the plan, without sacrificing the gist of the insurance.
Ask questions

Make sure that nothing is left unanswered before you sign on any dotted line.

Many people that have dental insurance think that they can have some kind of coverage for orthodontic care but that is not always the case. If you have kids that will need braces soon you will need to start searching for good dental health insurance that can help to pay for their braces.

Look At Your Current Dental Coverage

The first thing you should do is take a look at your current policy. If you find that you have no or little coverage for orthodontic care then you should start researching your options.

Dental Insurance Plan or Dental Discount Plan?

Researching dental plans does not have to be complicated. First decide if you want actual insurance or a discount plan that will get you a certain percentage off your dental visits and orthodontic care. Sometimes you will only be able to use certain doctors that accept the discount plan. With dental insurance you use it just like you would health insurance. You might have to pay a co-pay for some services and there might be a deductible also.

What Orthodontic Care is Covered?

After deciding on which option is best for you, either an insurance plan or a discount plan you will want to find out exactly what orthodontic care is covered. You will also want to learn more about Premiums, Deductibles, Co-pays and Exclusions. If you find a plan with low premiums don't use that as your only deciding factor, it may not really be the best plan for you and your family.

If you have suffered teeth loss due to some reason, it could well prove to be a source of discomfort for you. It might cause you much embarrassment in front of others and can eventually result in decreasing your comfort level immensely. The solution lies in going in for Simi Valley dental implants procedure at your dentists' clinic. The 2010 predictions by the Consumer Guide to Dentistry states how the trend for getting implants done is on a rise.

There are various types of dental implant procedure available. The three most prominent ones are:

Cylindrical or screw implant - this type is also known as the 'root form' implant since a hole is drilled into the gums and a false tooth is placed in it just like a real tooth would be. The shape of this implant is very similar to real teeth. However this type of implant can only be done when the jaw is healthy, wide and deep. In case of a thin jaw which is short of depth, a bone grafting procedure would be required.

Plate form implant - sometimes the jawbone is narrow, and the tooth site is not ideal for undergoing a bone grafting. Under such circumstances, a 'plate form' is fitted onto the area. This is a special narrow implant done for those with narrow jawbones.

Custom made implants - there are patients who have suffered bone loss. For this reason it becomes difficult to do a dental implant for them. In this type the implant rests on the jaw bone but also under the gum so that it can provide support to the replacement tooth.

Dental implants have been known to be very successful in almost 90% of cases. All patients who have undergone this procedure state how after the implant is done they have been living better lives. They are able to live normal lives and chew on food and most importantly smile with confidence. However if you are going in for a dental implant procedure you must remember that it is an expensive procedure. For this reason most dentists will agree to give you a free consultation and help you to consider your options before you make a suitable choice. The time it takes to heal will also depend upon the condition of your tooth and gums. This will also be discussed by your dentist during the consultation.

You can visit Dr. Greenman's clinic if you want to go in for dental implant procedure. There are various other dental procedures done at his clinic, to suit your particular requirement.